Do political faces have a ‘use by’ date? Is there a point beyond which even the mugs of politicians that we like start to grate? The recent mini-media hubbub about Nigel Farage’s continuing prominence in British politics has me pondering. Is the time limit on political careers down a lot more to familiarity than anything else?
It used to be a pretty accurate rule that certain occupations were flash-in-the-pan affairs. It was rare, for example, for a pop star to remain a big sensation for very long. Even the biggest stars only had about five years tops before their shine wore off and something younger, brighter and shinier turned up. In the same way, hit TV shows would blaze away for a while, and then other shows would take their places. Disposability was a given. In this century, however, it seems we may be stuck with Ed Sheeran, Adele, I’m A Celebrity and Strictly until our grandchildren are claiming their pensions.
But politicians haven’t learnt the same trick of longevity. Ubiquity is a big factor here. We just get tired of politicians. They don’t have the option of only popping up once a week, like TV presenters or (ahem) columnists.
After a certain point, long-runners tire us. The most famous example must be the British public thanking Churchill for saving the nation from Nazism by immediately voting him out in a landslide. They wanted a new face, one that didn’t attach itself to horrible memories. Similarly, from our age of churn it seems bizarre that both Thatcher and Blair were removed by their parties after a decade or so of stability and continuity. But people wanted their own ‘go’ and convinced themselves they had good reasons for defenestrating the great successes of their parties.
Farage became a fixture as leader of Ukip in 2006, and his continued presence in the public realm is most unusual. The other party leaders at the time of his accession? Tony Blair, David Cameron (just), Ming Campbell and Alex Salmond – all gone, and two of them gone for good.
It feels like another age, 2006. The hit ditties were ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ by the Scissor Sisters and Infernal’s ‘From Paris to Berlin’. A young adult today will have no conception of the world BF – Before Farage.
I don’t remember the process of becoming acquainted with Farage. At some point he must have slipped into my consciousness as ‘that Ukip feller’. I seem to remember that a particular speech tickled me, but I can’t remember when or where, or what it was about.
But he has been the great survivor in an age of frothing political churn. We’ve had nine prime ministers in the last 20 years, but only one Nigel. Even his occasional steps away from political life haven’t exactly been quiet ones.
Farage has been an incredibly successful politician, despite only becoming an MP two years ago. He might still be even more successful. Because the only way out of the familiarity trap is through sheer persistence – which brings the reward of being celebrated as an eternal fixture. The dullest character of early Coronation Street was Ken Barlow, and yet it’s Ken Barlow who became the face of the show. Hang about long enough and you’ll become a national treasure like Tony Benn, Cliff Richard or Lulu. There are now even people who find the sight of Diane Abbott reassuring. Paul McCartney persevered through at least a couple of decades of being naff and old hat before people shook themselves into noticing that he was Paul McCartney, and rather a big deal.
There has been much speculation that Farage may throw in the towel. But I can’t see him retiring from the field. He knows that he has, unwittingly, become a symbol of resistance to the progressive establishment, and that his scalp would be their proudest trophy. He wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.
For the same reason, I can’t see him letting the current split on the right give the establishment more disastrous years in power. When the time comes, I expect both him and Kemi Badenoch to bury the hatchet if necessary, despite the bloodcurdling threats they hurl at one another. Anybody that’s seen one of Shakespeare’s history plays will know that accommodations and alliances can suddenly materialise between the bitterest enemies.
On a personal level, I don’t ask for much. I want to see the progressive political project totally destroyed, and I don’t particularly mind who does it. But it would be nice to see a few familiar faces on that happy day.
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